


THE GIRL WHO LOVED FAIRYTALES

by deanslist



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, Fairytales gone spoopy, Halloween, I will make sure to put warnings with every chapter I publish, I will not tag this as major character death FOR NOW, Murder Mystery, Psychological Horror, and more characters will be added as the story progresses !!!!, but there will be deaths and they will ONLY BE SLIGHTLY detailed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 12:10:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21270839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanslist/pseuds/deanslist
Summary: She was thirteen when she lost her friend forever. It was also the first time she picked up a book and read like her friend used to.She did not know what to expect, but as words clung onto her imagination and painted the most vivid pictures before her eyes, she finally knew why her friend loved reading.It gave her the power to orchestrate her own story — a world within a world, a different start, a different ending.Twists and turns, conflicts and climaxes.All could be held in the palm of her hands.—Kara Danvers,You are invited for tea and treatsTalk and laugh before the clock retreatsIn a place where time is above the skyWe will wait for you 'til it's time to flyOh, curious child, won't you come and try?L.L.





	THE GIRL WHO LOVED FAIRYTALES

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm back again with a new... story. I know. RIP my other WIPS, but this idea came to me earlier while I was literally eating Pringles and— yeah!
> 
> Here's my belated Supercorp Halloween Special!! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! As always, no beta, all mistakes are mine and I make mistakes like a champ.

Reading stories had always been her favorite pass times. She remembered watching her friend scan through millions of books until it was time to go and rejoin her family in her own home. 

It used to make her curious; wonder what it was about books that captured her friend's attention for hours on end to the point where everything else was forgotten, abandoned, neglected. 

It used to anger her; used to make her blood boil. She didn't know what it was about books that made her friend leave her behind in the world of reality when they're supposed to be playing together and creating a world of their own  _ together. _

She was thirteen when she lost her friend forever. It was also the first time she picked up a book and read like her friend used to.

She did not know what to expect, but as words clung onto her imagination and painted the most vivid pictures before her eyes, she finally knew why her friend loved reading. 

Reading made her see the world from a different perspective. It brought her to a place she only saw and felt in her dreams; it made her feel emotions she never thought she'd ever feel until she was old enough to experience the rest of what the world could offer. 

It gave her the power to orchestrate her own story — a world within a world, a different start, a different ending. 

Twists and turns, conflicts and climaxes. 

"Thank you, Kara," she murmured into the still night as she thumbed the invitation letter in her hand. "For everything."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

The time had finally come, and she couldn't wait for her story to come to life.

Kara Danvers,

_ You are invited for tea and treats _

_ Talk and laugh before the clock retreats _

_ In a place where time is above the sky _

_ We will wait for you 'til it's time to fly _

_ Oh, curious child, won't you come and try? _

** L.L. **

* * *

"Hey, Danvers, you got mail!" 

A nest of blonde hair popped from behind the wooden wall, curious eyes wide and alert for more.

"For me?" Kara Danvers asked, a finger pointing at herself. "From who?"

Her coworker, Nia, shrugged her shoulders and tossed the parcel to her instead. It was square and light, wrapped with brown paper and tied together by a rope made with what seemed to be papyrus.

Kara oddly felt like she was in a world where Harry Potter existed. Not only because of the poetic wrapping but because she rarely ever received mail at work, or elsewhere.

"When did this come in?" she asked as she began to pull on the rope gingerly, wanting to preserve it for sentimental reasons. The brown paper was removed with the same gentleness, and Kara was glad it was glued together using a considerably weak glue. 

Nia joined her not long after while nursing her cup of coffee, shrugging once again as she sat next to Kara. "I don't know. Came in this morning and saw it in the mailbox. I thought it was for Miss Grant, but then..." She trailed off and took the parcel from Kara, the latter hissing for the younger woman to be careful. "I saw this." 

Kara looked down at what Nia was pointing at and raised an eyebrow at what she saw.

K.D., her initials. 

"That's weird," she frowned. "Who sends parcels and writes initials instead of whole names these days?"

Nia blinked. "Whoever sent this."

"Ha. Ha. You're so funny."

"Whatever," Nia pursed her lips. "Aren't you going to open it?"

"Are you going to keep your mouth shut?"

Nia smiled cheekily. "I don't make promises I cannot keep."

"Fair enough," Kara sighed and turned to the parcel. Slowly, she undid the rest of the paper's folds and revealed a plain, white box. She inspected it for any other clues but found none, so she proceeded to open it after another curious glance at Nia. 

"Here goes nothing, I guess," she said, which earned her a groan from Nia.

"Come on! You're taking too long. It's just a box."

Kara shushed her as she ripped the lid off the box. 

"Oh," Nia blinked. "Well, that's anticlimactic. A paper inside a box. Talk about being wasteful when you can just send it through email, right?" 

Kara shook her head as her coworker left her in her lonesome, apparently uninterested now that she'd seen what was inside. The bespectacled girl took the paper out and slipped her finger between the gap to open it slowly.

_ Kara Danvers, _

_ You are invited for tea and treats _

_ Talk and laugh before the clock retreats _

_ In a place where time is above the sky _

_ We will wait for you 'til it's time to fly _

_ Oh, curious child, won't you come and try? _

** _ L.L. _ **

"Sounds ominous."

Nia's voice cut into her thoughts, giving Kara the biggest scare of the day. "Nia! Don't scare me like that! Jesu—"

"Nia's fine," she cut in with a snort. "Back to the letter. Who's... L.L.?"

Kara peered down at the invitation again and traced the initials with her thumb. Had it not been for Nia's sudden interruption, she would have had the time to be surprised, to remember who the woman was, and how their time together came to an end. 

She nibbled on her lower lip before speaking, "A childhood friend back in Midvale."

"L.L.," Nia squinted at the paper, deep in her speculation before gasping and snatching the paper from Kara's hand. "L.L. as in  _ Lena Luthor? _ New CEO of LuthorCorp now L-Corp?"

Kara hummed affirmatively, then flinched back as Nia came all up to her face. "Nia, personal spa-"

"You never told me you were friends with an  _ iconic _ person, Kara."

"Well, it never came up-"

"How could you not brag about being friends with Lena Luthor?! I don't even remember you mentioning that  _ ever  _ when she was on the news."

Kara pursed her lips, eyeing Nia. "Probably because of what happened? If you remember?"

Nia blinked, realization dawning upon her face, and finally backed down. "Right. I'm sorry...." she paused. "It's just so bizarre, you know? For so many years, we only heard of the parents and the golden boy. Lena Luthor was never mentioned nor exposed as much as Lex Luthor was."

"There is a reason for that."

"A reason you know?" Nia arched an eyebrow.

"And will not reveal because it's not my story to tell," Kara replied, her voice firm and unaccepting of any argument. 

Nia relented. "Fair enough. Anyway, what do you think the invitation's all about? It sounds... dramatic."

Kara smiled nostalgically. "That's Lena. She always loved fairytales, you know? We used to read fairytales together as kids. Even the not-so-Disney-happy versions of them." 

"So, she's not even hiding her love for fairytales if her invitation letter is anything to go by. I wonder if this tea party also extends to other people or if it's just you."

"The bigger questions are: where is this party and why is she inviting me after all these years of not talking to each other?"

Nia shrugged. "Should we google it?"

Kara laughed. "Where's the fun in that? Come here, help me figure it out." She pulled out the chair Nia was occupying earlier and patted it. 

The younger woman joined her without being told twice and leaned in to read the letter again. "The first two lines are pretty much self-explanatory. It's a party where there will be a lot of conversations happening; happy ones, I would say. Maybe she wants to reunite with you and, I don't know, catch up and make up for lost times?"

Kara agreed with a soft hum, head nodding slowly. "Yes, and what about the next two lines?"

"Hm. In a place where time is above the sky..." Nia tilted her head sideways. "That's... probably the venue of the party?"

"Where time is above the sky..." Kara's eyes twitched as she tried to think of a place that could match the description. She tried to remember the places she and Lena used to go to, tried to recollect if there was  _ anywhere _ at all that could resemble the words written in the invitation letter. 

But all of those places were in Midvale. Surely, Lena wouldn't invite her to a party in Midvale if she was supposed to be handling their family's company now. 

_ Where time is above the sky. _

Realization struck Kara as she blinked and straightened in her chair, reading the same phrase over and over again to make sure. 

"In a place where time is above the sky," Kara repeated, then looked over at Nia, whose eyes were just as wide in anticipation. "Time is used as another word for  _ clock _ . In a place where the clock is above the sky." She turned to Nia. "Give me one place where there's a clock up in the sky."

Nia blinked twice as she scrambled her thoughts for an answer, but it didn't take long for her to  _ get it _ .

"Oh! The People's Center!" Nia laughed. "It has the tallest clock tower in the country!"

"Exactly," Kara grinned. "We're so good at this."

"Yeah, but what about the last line?" Nia peered at her curiously. "What's that stuff about flying?"

"I don't know. Probably means happiness? Elation? You feel so good, you feel like you're flying up in the sky?"

Nia was silent for a moment. "... It sounds to me that Lena Luthor wants to give you orgas—"

"Yeah, nope!" Kara shook her head and placed the invitation back into the box. "We're not going there, Nia. She's a  _ childhood _ friend. I don't need that image in my head. Back to work."

"Aw, but it's only eight-thirty!" Nia whined, though her voice dripped with laughter. 

"Nope. Get back to work, child."

* * *

After figuring out the venue of the party, Kara finally deemed it  _ okay _ to google the event. 

It turned out that L-Corp was having a fundraising gala on the twenty-seventh of December, two days after Christmas, which meant she had two days to find something to wear for the party. 

It wasn't indicated if there was any particular theme for the party. Who knew if Lena Luthor was having a fairytale-themed party in December, right? And for all of Kara's indifference to parties, she wasn't a fan of sticking out like a sore thumb.

So, two days later, she donned her white oxford shirt beneath a slim, burgundy jacket and paired it with her fitting, striped dress pants. Hooked on one of her belt loops was a chained pocket watch, which was snugly kept in her pocket. 

Not necessarily working, but it added some fine details to her attire. 

She tied her hair up in a simple ponytail and replaced her glasses with a pair of clear contact lens. A thick layer of her reddest lipstick was applied to finish her look for the night.

She recapped the tube and placed it back in her drawer while her eyes remained on her reflection in the mirror.

"An ode to the Mad Hatter," she grinned, triumphant. "And no one has to know."

Subtle, discreet, but not to the eyes of those who loved their fairytales. 

* * *

After sending a photo of her outfit to Nia and suffering under the relentless vibration of her phone in her back pocket, Kara drove into town and reached the venue just in time before the welcoming speech. 

Once her coat was taken cared for her, she was offered a flute of champagne and told to proceed to the main area where most of the guests were socializing with each other.

The gala turned out to have no particular theme. People around her were dressed in typical partywear, which meant that, miraculously, she still fit in the crowd and didn't look like she was attending a belated Halloween party. 

However, she felt like she'd just entered a different dimension, and it made her squirm in discomfort.

Working as an editor at Grant Publishing didn't usually require her to get out of her workspace and rub elbows with people of high status, so to stand in a room full of people dressed to the nines was definitely new to her, and in the end, she felt like a thorn among hundreds of clipped roses. 

Which was why, despite what was written in her invitation card, she found herself quietly nursing her drink at one of the cocktail tables in the room, opting to simply watch people roam around as they talk and laugh with each other. 

It must have been about ten minutes or so of people watching when Kara finally felt like coming to the gala was a mistake.

She'd already emptied her flute in what felt like years ago, and there hadn't been a single sign of Lena yet since she arrived, so she figured it was best she left and spend the rest of her night wallowing in her disappointment and anger. 

But, as she turned to leave the party, the screeching sound of microphone feedback effectively stopped her in her tracks. She winced as she slapped her hands over her ears, but a voice eventually replaced the unpleasant sound and Kara, against her own judgment, turned and gaped at the person on the stage. 

"Is this thing on?"

There was laughter in her voice, a knowing smile on her lips which told everyone she was simply being cheeky. The crowd laughed quietly, probably more to indulge the woman than anything else, but Kara was still standing there with her mouth ajar. 

The last time she saw Lena Luthor was in the fourteenth summer of her life, and to say that she'd changed would be the biggest understatement of the year. 

"First of all, I'd like to apologize for welcoming you later than expected. There was a slight mishap backstage and, of course, I have to take care of it because who else will, right?" Lena smiled again when the crowd buzzed with soft laughter.

The rest of what her childhood friend said entered one ear and slipped out through the other. Before she knew it, Lena was telling the crowd to enjoy the entertainment of the night before the auction started. She disappeared from the stage not long after that, and Kara regretted not paying attention because she was quick to vanish from her sight.

"Miss Danvers?" A voice called out from behind, startling Kara. 

"Hi, yes, hi. I am Kara Danvers," she said, turning to a woman considerably shorter than her with blonde hair and startling blue eyes. "S-Sorry, I was just-"

"Don't worry," the woman said with a smile. "I am Eve Teschmacher, Miss Luthor's assistant. I was given instructions to fetch you after her speech, so shall we?"

Kara blinked but didn't protest when Eve led the way to the upper floor of the center. They walked quietly until they reached a singular door near the library, where Eve turned to Kara and gestured for her to wait. 

Eve knocked thrice and spoke, "Miss Luthor, this is Eve."

"Come in," Lena's voice floated from behind the wooden frame, and Kara exhaled loudly in anticipation and anxiousness. 

The door opened to reveal a simple office, obviously one that's temporarily occupied by the host of the evening, and Kara followed Eve inside with small steps, suddenly nervous to see Lena even if she'd already seen her downstairs. 

"Hello, Kara."

Standing near the desk was her childhood friend, Lena Luthor, holding a glass of what seemed to her was scotch, and Kara's breath was honestly stolen from her lungs.

She barely heard Eve dismiss herself and only managed to snap out of it when Lena stepped forward and offered her a new glass. "Scotch?"

She'd been right.

"Uh, no thanks," Kara said even as she took the offered glass. "I had champagne earlier, so..."

"Would you prefer a cup of tea, then?"

Kara blinked languidly at the question before feeling a smile tug at the corner of her lips. "You know."

"Of course, I do," Lena said haughtily. "Between us two, I  _ definitely _ did not obsess over Alice in Wonderland. Oh, no, I did not." The brunette rolled her eyes as Kara chuckled. "Sarcasm aside, I almost told the waiter to give you tea instead of champagne when I saw you walk through the doors, but as I said, I was held back by something relatively unimportant now that you're here." She sighed, her smile now tender instead of cheeky. "It's been a long time, Kara Danvers."

"Indeed, it has been," Kara nodded, suddenly overcome with nostalgia. "More than a decade, if I'm not wrong."

"Definitely not wrong," Lena agreed as her gaze took in Kara's outfit appreciatively. "And yet, you still remember and  _ even _ dressed up as my favorite character in that book."

"Well, after reading your invitation letter, I figured it's better to be safe than sorry," Kara shrugged, pulling out the invitation card from the inner pocket of her jacket. "Google didn't mention a fairytale-themed gala, but there's nothing wrong with playing along, right?"

Lena hummed. "True." 

Kara was never the type to assume anything, although she'd been told many times before that she was rather perceptive of the atmosphere around her compared to most people.

The silence that followed Lena's response could have easily been avoided if she spoke after her, but when you're standing under the gaze of Lena Luthor, one that seemed to express something more than just longing for a childhood friend once lost and now found, you just couldn't find the words to say.

There's pressure in those eyes, a fog of something indescribable and it was so palpable that Kara thought she could slice it with a knife. Heat rose from under her collar, making her reach up to undo the very first button so the cold air of the office could help her in her predicament. 

Kara cleared her throat, which seemed to work in snapping the CEO out of the trance she found herself in as well. "Anyway..."

"Anyway," Lena repeated as she turned to put her glass on the table. Kara thought she saw a hint of  _ pink _ on those pale cheeks before she did. "Anyway, I invited you here because I know you're in National City. An editor, huh?"

Kara was glad for the reprieve and nodded quite enthusiastically to keep the current topic from straying somewhere else. This was safe. Talking about work was safe.

"Yes, I'm an editor for Grant Publishing," Kara replied, eyes briefly flickering down to her glass. Her throat felt dry. Maybe a sip wouldn't do any harm. "Been one for three years now."

"Impressive," Lena grinned, genuine in her compliment. "You went from proofreader to editor in three years."

Kara frowned. "How did you know that?"

Lena shrugged. "Isn't that how it works in publishing companies?"

"Well..." Kara considered her next words. "Not all. I mean, yeah, I guess. Proofreader is usually the entry-level, but..."

"Don't worry, Kara," Lena held up a hand. "I didn't stalk you. All I did was ask around for an editor whose name might resemble yours and found you through one of my colleagues who had her book published under Grant Publishing. Samantha Arias, you remember her?"

"Sam," Kara nodded. "She was my first client as an editor."

"Yes, and she was my best friend in college." 

"What a coincidence."

"And still my best friend when I moved here, in National City, to take over the company," Lena squinted at Kara. "Why didn't you reach out, Kara? I'm not trying to blow my own horn, but the renaming of LuthorCorp was a big thing; in the news for two weeks. Didn't it even come to your mind at all?"

Kara stared quietly at Lena for a couple of seconds before sighing softly. "You know why."

Lena frowned, albeit looking more hurt than angry. "It wasn't my fault."

"I know-"

"I didn't have anything to do with it-"

"It was  _ still _ your family, Lena," Kara snapped, her gaze stern for a brief moment before they quickly faded into regret. "Lena, I'm..."

Lena shook her head. "No, don't worry. I understand."

"No, it's-" Kara sighed exasperatedly. "It's not your fault. I know that. You're not your family, okay? I get that. It's just—"

Lena smiled bitterly and finished for her, "It never stops hurting."

Kara looked back at her and nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Silence blanketed them once again, but this time, it was sorrow and regret brushing against Kara's skin. Tonight was supposed to be a happy reunion, not an event where can full of worms were opened. 

"For what it's worth," Lena broke the silence. "I'm sorry."

Kara smiled a little. "I'm sorry, too."

A series of knocking on the door alerted the both of them. 

Not pleased with being disturbed, Lena strode over to the door and practically ripped it open. "What is it? We still have three mi-"

"Miss Luthor!" Eve disrupted, hands flying up to Lena's arms and clinging onto them as if they were the source of life itself. Lena tried to shake her off, but her grip was strong. 

She was visibly distraught, shaking, and it showed when she finally said, "Miss Luthor, s-something happened. Please, you're needed outside."

Lena appeared to remain calm as she finally succeeded at shaking Eve off of her and headed over to the concrete railing of the upper floor. Kara, ever the considerate person she was, placed her hand comfortingly on Eve's back as she led the way to join Lena.

But Eve stood her ground and covered her face with shaking hands. "I c-cannot look."

It was then that Kara finally felt dread wash over her. Glancing up at Lena, she noted the rigidness in her shoulders and the barely visible shaking of her knees. With a quiet curse, she jogged over to her side and looked down.

She instantly wished she hadn't. 

Surrounded by shocked guests was a man whose head was angled abnormally. Kara felt bitter bile rise to her mouth and barely managed to decorate the crime scene with her vomit, if not for Lena dragging her away from the railing. 

"W-Who was that?" Kara trembled in fear as she looked at Lena and watched her jaws clench. 

"Morgan Edge."

* * *

_ In a place where time is above the sky _

_ We will wait for you 'til it's time to fly _

** _ Oh, curious child, won't you come and try? _ **

**Author's Note:**

> How was it? Spoopy enough? 
> 
> Let me know what you think. ♥
> 
> Tumblr @ dcanslist


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